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The attraction of the multinational coffee chains isn't as much about the product, it's about the whole experience. This is the same with McDonalds, KFC etc. They provide a decent product in a nice seating area with outstanding hygiene and fast service. I think this is why Pakistan needs these multinationals, they will force locals to raise their standards to compete.

The attraction of the multinational coffee chains isn't as much about the product, it's about the whole experience. This is the same with McDonalds, KFC etc. They provide a decent product in a nice seating area with outstanding hygiene and fast service. I think this is why Pakistan needs these multinationals, they will force locals to raise their standards to compete.

I don't really need 'standards' or 'experience'. All I want is my nice little hot chai served by my warm chai vendor.

On a more serious note, in Karachi there have popped up these fancy dabbhas for burger crowd at every nook and corner. Charlie Chai, Chai Khana, Chai Wala etc etc etc. The places are typically open till late at night and are generally have outdoor seating. I've seen them mostly in the DHA area near Sea View. They are a nice place to hang out with friends or family enjoying chai and parathas and the sort.

Numbers are not similar because of the huge difference in population. However, if you compare the percentage of coffee drinkers in both countries, I don’t think there will be a big difference.

Cafes are popular here too and most of the young hip people tend to hang out there. Tea is not considered a cool beverage among the teenagers and the early 20’s crowd.

There are plenty of places in the urban cities that cater to this segment, but the again, it is a very small segment relative to the total population, hence it does not attract the likes of Starbucks.

I disagree very strongly. I'd say even the most hip burger crowd is into chai. Many cafes are built around the theme of chai such as chai khaana. And other cafes offer chai because they recognize that is what most of their customers drink.

People go for coffee mostly as a change.

On topic Starbucks will probably be quite a hit in the posh areas of Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi like Gloria Jeans and Second Cup have been.

The same reason why Pakistan doesnít produce international brands. There is a culture of bribery and Bhatta Khori all over the country. Plus, affordablilty issues makes it unsustainable for the entry of global giants into Pakistani markets. For most part, its the small businessess making good profits, while staying under the bureaucratic radar, tends to do well.

The attraction of the multinational coffee chains isn't as much about the product, it's about the whole experience. This is the same with McDonalds, KFC etc. They provide a decent product in a nice seating area with outstanding hygiene and fast service. I think this is why Pakistan needs these multinationals, they will force locals to raise their standards to compete.

Thing is, the product needs to be tailored according to the local taste.

For example, no one buys a beef burger from Mcdonalds over here, but the Chicken burgers have soo much demand that they had to start selling chicken pieces aswell.

Not every multinational has been a success here. Mcdonalds and KFC yes, and thats because of two reasons

THey both sell chicken here (which has great demand)
They also target the middle class with their prices aswell. Mcdonalds offers value meals at cheap prices and KFC is relatively a cheap fastfood restaurant in Pakistan.

Multinationals could be success here if they start stealing local ideas.

Recently, due to facebook memes and all, Chai has become a cool trend. Now many dhabbas are opening in areas like Islamabad just for Chai. The trends are changing.
Thus now we see Tandoori chai.

Also, another fastfood trend that had started in Pakistan was Roll Pratha.

Roll Pratha has become quite famous, but the problem is there is not good business that is targeting this correctly.

Every small restaurant that sells roll Pratha sells it by wrapping a chicken tikka boti piece with mayo on it.

But if some restaurant ends up coming with a new recipe, (where they use masala boti instead of tikka and some different sauces), this product could lead to our version of Subway.

There is alot of potential for local products, but the problem is no one is tapping in to them..

A roll pratha cost between 150-200 ruppees. Multinationals like Mcdonalds or KFC can'y copy this becuase then they would sell it at 300-400 ruppees and it doesn't go well with their product line.

Thing is, the product needs to be tailored according to the local taste.

For example, no one buys a beef burger from Mcdonalds over here, but the Chicken burgers have soo much demand that they had to start selling chicken pieces aswell.

Not every multinational has been a success here. Mcdonalds and KFC yes, and thats because of two reasons

THey both sell chicken here (which has great demand)
They also target the middle class with their prices aswell. Mcdonalds offers value meals at cheap prices and KFC is relatively a cheap fastfood restaurant in Pakistan.

Multinationals could be success here if they start stealing local ideas.

Recently, due to facebook memes and all, Chai has become a cool trend. Now many dhabbas are opening in areas like Islamabad just for Chai. The trends are changing.
Thus now we see Tandoori chai.

Also, another fastfood trend that had started in Pakistan was Roll Pratha.

Roll Pratha has become quite famous, but the problem is there is not good business that is targeting this correctly.

Every small restaurant that sells roll Pratha sells it by wrapping a chicken tikka boti piece with mayo on it.

But if some restaurant ends up coming with a new recipe, (where they use masala boti instead of tikka and some different sauces), this product could lead to our version of Subway.

There is alot of potential for local products, but the problem is no one is tapping in to them..

A roll pratha cost between 150-200 ruppees. Multinationals like Mcdonalds or KFC can'y copy this becuase then they would sell it at 300-400 ruppees and it doesn't go well with their product line.

Rolls would be a potential loss makers at that price (PKR) if it's not road side, I'm telling you this coz my family business is all about fast food, in early 2000s my family tried their hands with Shwarma at cheap price what happened was they started getting a loss coz their profit making Tandoori chicken started selling less, that's why you have keep Shwarma at higher price which it has reached now and keep Grilled chicken along.

Now, good Rolls are always expensive because they're basically side dish and paratha/roti so why should they priced at rate of a side dish?
A good roll usually is thick enough but yes just having Mayo is stupid ,I would argue the price to be at 300 PKR for.single to 400 PKR for double(filling), and maintaining looks and hygiene of fast food and using butter/ghee.

there are quite a few western coffee chains in Pakistan but not starbucks - i tried all of them but there coffee was pretty rubbish, instead the local joints like coffee, tea and company and Butlers had better coffee.

If you want to destroy a country, just create enmity between its people and their army - Salahuddin

Roadside chai costs ₹15 - you grab one, lap it up and walk away. In a Starbucks, a coffee costs ₹225 but you can lounge out in air conditioned comfort, connect to WiFi and stay there for 6 hrs. Once you are done, you can step out and have ... go figure ... a roadside chai.

I'm not plugging Starbucks here - just stating the difference. No tea stall is threatened by a Starbucks or a Cafe Coffee Day opening up in the building behind him.

Karachi has Butler Chocolates (which serves hot drinks) and Gloria Jeans - both of which my wife is a big fan and both tended to be usually crowded so I see no reason why Starbucks wouldnít be successful in Pakistan...

Also noble of you not to reside in the nation that created the Israel - Palestine salami in the first place, with arms deals and other aid reaching record levels in the last calendar year.

Oh wait.

Might as well go to Starbucks heh. Even if you're a heavy coffee drinker it's not like it's going to become £222m from £221m worth of arms. Devil you know.

I wasn't born then and in the UK we have a democratic right to speak up against any injustice which the people here to so. Unlike in India where the majority of the population glee at Indian soldiers raping and killing Kashmiris. But this is another topic.

I disagree very strongly. I'd say even the most hip burger crowd is into chai. Many cafes are built around the theme of chai such as chai khaana. And other cafes offer chai because they recognize that is what most of their customers drink.

People go for coffee mostly as a change.

On topic Starbucks will probably be quite a hit in the posh areas of Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi like Gloria Jeans and Second Cup have been.

I agree that chai has become more fashionable in recent times because of cafes like Chaaye Khana etc. who are cashing on its popularity.

However, the number of coffee cafes still outnumber the chai cafes by some distance. One of the main reasons is that you can still get very good chai at home, but if you want good coffee with variety, you have no option but to go to places like Gloria Jeans etc.

Rolls would be a potential loss makers at that price (PKR) if it's not road side, I'm telling you this coz my family business is all about fast food, in early 2000s my family tried their hands with Shwarma at cheap price what happened was they started getting a loss coz their profit making Tandoori chicken started selling less, that's why you have keep Shwarma at higher price which it has reached now and keep Grilled chicken along.

Now, good Rolls are always expensive because they're basically side dish and paratha/roti so why should they priced at rate of a side dish?
A good roll usually is thick enough but yes just having Mayo is stupid ,I would argue the price to be at 300 PKR for.single to 400 PKR for double(filling), and maintaining looks and hygiene of fast food and using butter/ghee.

Bhai paratha rolls are a Karachi invention and when they first started in late 90s - early 2000s you could go out with friends and have 2 paratha rolls for 40 rupees and cold drink for 10 rupees. An evening out with the boys for just 50 rupees.

Bhai paratha rolls are a Karachi invention and when they first started in late 90s - early 2000s you could go out with friends and have 2 paratha rolls for 40 rupees and cold drink for 10 rupees. An evening out with the boys for just 50 rupees.

Now each roll costs 75-150 rupees.

No offense Bhai but Paratha rolls have been there in Delhi and Kolkata forever now, I understand that everyone is used to their city ,although I'm assuming yours is Wheat paratha rolls and the ones in Kolkata were Flour ones.

And as i said 150PKR would be minimum required to make good profit and to maintain the shop and 200 and up for keeping the ingredients great,shop clean and famous, one cannot always hope to eat at the same price,restaurants in India are finally catching up on context that at end of the day its business and the amount of time and sacrifices the man running the restaurant/fast food makes is tremendous, to give you an idea my dad in 90's used to go every third day to fresh market at 3-4 am and then come back sleep and again off to work 12 pm to work till night 1 all this just to keep the prices low and have best ingredients.

In cricket, my superhero is Sachin Tendulkar. He has always been my hero.
-Virat Kohli

I wasn't born then and in the UK we have a democratic right to speak up against any injustice which the people here to so.

Yada yada your democratic right counts for nothing. You are the first to be pulled out of an airport queue, the last candidates to be considered in government jobs, and even nuisance value hasn't brought down £221 million pounds dished out from the UK to Israel in 2018 by a single pence.

Your democratic right is an illusion and doesn't exist. Zero. Nada. Might as well drown your sorrows in a Starbucks - the Palestinians are gone cases anyway.

Shocked to learn that there is not a single starbucks coffee shop in Pakistan. Why is this the case? Any specific reason?

Originally Posted by CricketCartoons

Shocking indeed. starbucks is the symbol of civilization and modernity and everything good, so why has pakistan not embraced it?

Originally Posted by Pakistanian

Maybe has something to do with BDS , starbucks donates money to Israel so Muslim countries don't business with them, with the exceptions of a few.

Originally Posted by Mamoon

Pakistan does not have a big market for coffee. However, Starbucks will be a success in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

Some of the lesser known coffee shops are doing well in these cities and Starbucks is a huge name.

The burger kids in these cities will flock to it and it will also become a low budget dating spot.

Starbucks is not doing well in ASEAN countries. It is failing in India and it is the slowest growth region for Starbucks. It was just last year they made their first positive EBITDA. Now, usually, companies see Pakistan as a similar market to India and from what it seems Starbucks is reluctant to invest in Pakistan after seeing their performance in India.

Starbucks is not doing well in ASEAN countries. It is failing in India and it is the slowest growth region for Starbucks. It was just last year they made their first positive EBITDA. Now, usually, companies see Pakistan as a similar market to India and from what it seems Starbucks is reluctant to invest in Pakistan after seeing their performance in India.

28% is pretty good for India, plus they have come with TATA here who.somewhat have an idea about logistics, it will.be an upward trend , Domino's second biggest market is India as well,Mcd Burger King are doing well too, it's about investment in local market.

I haven't seen the numbers yet but i guess cafes also arent that popular now at least in tier 1 cities where the youth is preferring pubs and bars. I for one dont remember the last time i took a girl to a cafe.

Starbucks serves as an interviews, project work and skype destination for business class. Its definitely carved out a niche in India. They have price competitive and quality products and the ambience is great mostly. I love it.

28% is pretty good for India, plus they have come with TATA here who.somewhat have an idea about logistics, it will.be an upward trend , Domino's second biggest market is India as well,Mcd Burger King are doing well too, it's about investment in local market.

Don't blame India for this..

LOL when did i blame India? I am just saying selling coffee in ASEAN is a tricky ball game and the fact that just last year they managed to hit positive EBITDA says a lot about how tough it is to penetrate.

Rolls would be a potential loss makers at that price (PKR) if it's not road side, I'm telling you this coz my family business is all about fast food, in early 2000s my family tried their hands with Shwarma at cheap price what happened was they started getting a loss coz their profit making Tandoori chicken started selling less, that's why you have keep Shwarma at higher price which it has reached now and keep Grilled chicken along.

Now, good Rolls are always expensive because they're basically side dish and paratha/roti so why should they priced at rate of a side dish?
A good roll usually is thick enough but yes just having Mayo is stupid ,I would argue the price to be at 300 PKR for.single to 400 PKR for double(filling), and maintaining looks and hygiene of fast food and using butter/ghee.

The ideal price for paratha rolls are 150-200, but this could become out Pakistani fastfood if we market it right.

This product hasn't been marketted right. Its a great invention in fast food, but it could be multinationalized if we have the right marketeers

LOL when did i blame India? I am just saying selling coffee in ASEAN is a tricky ball game and the fact that just last year they managed to hit positive EBITDA says a lot about how tough it is to penetrate.

Coffee shops are not exactly a big novelty in the subcontinent, we had chai shops since I can remember where you could stop for a cuppa with some samosas or biscuits. As someone mentioned earlier, they prefer their chai from the roadside stalls which have been there long before the Starbucks was established.

Coffee by itself was never that big a deal, it was the cafe experience which made it a selling point, and in Pakistan they had that already.

No offense Bhai but Paratha rolls have been there in Delhi and Kolkata forever now, I understand that everyone is used to their city ,although I'm assuming yours is Wheat paratha rolls and the ones in Kolkata were Flour ones.

And as i said 150PKR would be minimum required to make good profit and to maintain the shop and 200 and up for keeping the ingredients great,shop clean and famous, one cannot always hope to eat at the same price,restaurants in India are finally catching up on context that at end of the day its business and the amount of time and sacrifices the man running the restaurant/fast food makes is tremendous, to give you an idea my dad in 90's used to go every third day to fresh market at 3-4 am and then come back sleep and again off to work 12 pm to work till night 1 all this just to keep the prices low and have best ingredients.

I think the ones you are talking about are called Katti rolls? I have had those in Indian restaurants here, and are different from the paratha rolls I am talking about.

We have an aussie coffee chain with the name of Gloria Jeans in all urban centers in Pakistan. Pretty hit!

Apologies if I sound like an elitist snob but Gloria Jeans is pretty Americanised too. In Australia, you'll find mostly tourists going there, the locals tend to go to the smaller coffee shops. They don't even serve a flat white - the most popular coffee drink down under!

It is becoming popular again because of places like Chai Khaana, but most of the cafes are still based around coffee, e.g. Gloria Jeans, Second Cup, Coffee Planet, Coffee Lucio etc.

I haven’t been to Chickachino yet but there was a lot of hype around a year or so back.

Agreed with the first bit, however I've noticed a lot of people go these coffee places only to get tea. There's another posh one in Islamabad called Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf that serves better tea than coffee!

As for Chikachino, the hype was worth it. Now it's been reduced to an overcrowded dhaba that you'd see somewhere in rural Punjab, only difference is, the customers are Islamabads elite.

Starbucks and most North American coffee chains make terrible coffees. Anyone that has been to cities like Melbourne or Vienna will know what good coffee should taste like.

Starbucks is basically the McDonalds of coffee.

theres too many of those aussie places in London now - but the third wave of coffee that kicked off few years back means there plently of good independant coffee shops in usa, even some chains, blue bottle, philz and many others

however proper good coffee would always be italian and the best coffee i have had is apprantly at home made in a nespresso machine. Also in Lahore just of mm alam road, there is an Illy

If you want to destroy a country, just create enmity between its people and their army - Salahuddin

The problem for all of these coffee chains is the rise of the home coffee machines. I'm mostly a tea man, but I do usually make a cup of coffee once a day, and because you can get so many flavours and mixes to your taste, now if I have a coffee at one of the chains it tastes very ordinary. But they are still nice places just to sit and chill for a bit.

are you telling me these pakistani restaurants go to africa and pick the beans themselves?

They buy beans from pretty much the same western companies that use the same methods as starbucks to pick there beans, using as you say 'slave labour'

Not all coffee beans are picked via slave labour and not all coffee sold helps the occupation of Palestine. It's just a disgusting company all round and when I did drink their coffee it wasnt anything special. So it's a no brainer decision for me.

Yada yada your democratic right counts for nothing. You are the first to be pulled out of an airport queue, the last candidates to be considered in government jobs, and even nuisance value hasn't brought down £221 million pounds dished out from the UK to Israel in 2018 by a single pence.

Your democratic right is an illusion and doesn't exist. Zero. Nada. Might as well drown your sorrows in a Starbucks - the Palestinians are gone cases anyway.

I've never been pulled out at an airport lol. You wont understand any boycotting movement when occupation pleases you in Kashmir. So let's leave it here. You should drink tea like your PM.

Iíve never smoked a cigarette before but the quench that vanishes immediately after the tranquility one experiences post a days work in a cup of tea, is far greater than gulping black coffee in attempts to stay half-awake.

Nothing beats home made south Indian filter coffee . Cafe coffee day is more popular and bigger chain in India

South Indian filter coffee is too heavy and I feel defeats the purpose, its a nightmare imo esp for someone trying to be fit and on a diet, love the taste though and that with a newspaper in hand used to be my fav timepass in Chennai.(gone are those days).

CCD is only famous because they are cheaper(compared to Costa,Starbucks) , their coffee is neither strong or useful and at most a dating point.

In cricket, my superhero is Sachin Tendulkar. He has always been my hero.
-Virat Kohli